F1 2013 game review – classic racing

Codemasters try to cover the past and the present of Formula 1 racing, but is this year’s new game forward-thinking enough?

As Formula 1 fans will know all the technology in the world is no guarantee of an exciting race. Codemasters has been making F1 games for a few years now and they’re getting increasingly better at it, but if the season itself isn’t generating enough on-track drama they’ve found of way of compensating: time travel.

F1 2013 includes a whole new game mode called F1 Classics, where you can race legendary ‘80s drivers like Mario Andretti and Nigel Mansell in old school cars and on circuits now long since abandoned by the sport. Codemasters have even got Murray Walker out of retirement to provide an intro, plus there’s a Classic Edition of the game for around a fiver more that features even more drivers, cars, and circuits.

It’s a great new feature, although splitting the content between the classic and standard editions is pretty cynical and it’s not hard to see the whole concept as just a new way to sell downloadable content and artificially raise the price of the game.

It’s also clear that there’s still a lot more that could be done with the idea, since there’s no 1980s career mode or retro versions of still in-service circuits. Some of the less-than-iconic choices of car are odd too and seemingly dictated by licensing restrictions rather than their historical significance.

Still, the cars do handle noticeably different to any of their modern counterparts, since they don’t have modern safety nets like KERS and DRS to mollycoddle the drivers. Interestingly this also means that the game actually ends up handling like old school F1 racers and anyone that still knows who Sir Geoff Crammond is will appreciate the much more taxing racing, where a second’s distraction can cost you everything.

This does mean that less skilled players will probably end up turning on all the artificial assists, like automatic braking, to compensate but although Codemasters’ motives are suspect, and there are some obvious gaps in the feature list, the whole Classics option has to be considered a success.

But given these features, and the general nature of yearly-updated sports franchises, you can probably already guess that in terms of the present day simulation this isn’t overflowing with new ideas.

Of course the F1 games are already in that awkward sports game situation where they’re pretty much fit for purpose as it is, and any additions to justify the purchase risk unbalancing what once worked so well. That’s the trap EA often fall into with FIFA but Codemasters has taken the opposite route – and so every copy of F1 2013 comes with a free game of spot the difference.

F1 2013 (360) – almost a classic

All of the teams, drivers, and cars have been updated of course, but beyond that the professed improvements in visuals and artificial intelligence will only be noticed by the sort of fans that will still complain they’re not quite realistic enough. The presentation is certainly better though, a personal best for Codemasters with its slick menus and electronica soundtrack.

In terms of things that actually matter though perhaps the most significant change is to the handling of the modern cars. It’s just that little bit tighter now, making spins easier to avoid and overtaking less of a gamble. Which is not to say the game has lost its teeth: as long as you don’t purposefully neuter it it’s still dauntingly difficult for a mainstream video game, which is actually a part of its charm.

The main problem though remains the career mode, which is still as lacklustre and bland as before. Some of this seems to be a limitation of Codemasters’ licensing deal with the FIA but whatever the issue is they need to find a way to beef things up because career mode should be the heart of the game and not a half-hearted side option.

The Young Drivers Test seems to be an attempt to put some meat on the bones, and at the same time offer a cushion for newer players, but thanks to its unwanted expansion it’s even more boring than last year. There are plenty of other modes, including Grand Prix, Time Attack, and the (also not very different) online multiplayer but as F1 2013 reaches its peak on the current gen consoles it still lacks the structure to show off its talents to the fullest degree.

Since there are no other Formula 1 games with which to compare it to F1 2013 becomes the best in its class by default, but it’s a game worthy of praise no matter how thin the competition is. It’s clearly trying to do its best to keep both new and (very) old fans satisfied, even if it is also a touch too obvious in worrying about the happiness of Codemasters’ accountants.

In Short: The best Formula 1 racer by default, although beyond the new retro additions very little has changed in this year’s game.

Pros: The same great balance between arcade and simulation, with slightly improved handling and excellent visuals and presentation. The ‘80s content is interesting and plays very differently.

Cons: Career mode still shows little sign of improvement. Few new ideas beyond classic mode, and the fact that that requires an extra outlay for all the content will upset many.